


Under Drako's Blazing Eyes

by AliceMontrose



Series: Shielded in Broken Armours [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Romance, Slash, Wings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-09
Updated: 2014-11-09
Packaged: 2018-02-24 17:29:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2590076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliceMontrose/pseuds/AliceMontrose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The intended sequel to "Shielded in Broken Armours". I did not get very far with it. (On hold.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Under Drako's Blazing Eyes

Sunlight bled over the landscape, making the blond man narrow his eyes and reach for the tinted glasses he carried in his pocket. He slipped them on and the brightness dimmed a bit, allowing him to see the path again. He urged his mount on, following his companion's footsteps as the Demon turned around one bend and trying hard not to think about how narrow the path was or the fact that there was a thousand feet precipice on one side and an unyielding rock wall on the other. 

They had left the inn at dawn, suspiciously unattended and unguarded. The latter did not surprise him at all, as his lover and Captain Alisi-Feit had argued the whole previous afternoon about precisely that little matter. It made the Angelian suspicious, for Ignis was no fool and rarely discarded such important concepts as a proper guard detail. Something must have made him feel secure, but Marzio had yet to discover what that was... as well as their destination. 

Yes, it was true - he had no idea where Ignis was dragging him this time; but it had to be safe, for even a stubborn man like Owen Alisi-Feit to finally give in - not without a verbal fight, but still... 

Ahead on the trail, glorious sunrays washed over red hair and black wings, and Marzio couldn't help but smile as he admired the lean lines of his beloved's body for perhaps the millionth time. It was actually the first time in months that he could do so freely in the middle of the day, without indiscreet eyes following his every action. Court in Demonis was nearly as bad as Court in Angelia, and for the past weeks he had been forced to attend social event after social event, public and private meetings with noblemen and merchants and military men, and suffer through interminable balls and soirées. At times he had the impression that the Demons watched him like hawks watched their prey, looking for the smallest defect they could find so he would be deemed imperfect, unsuited to be Prince Sagni-Dor's lover and companion. And, on the other hand, he was being coddled like he had never been before, as an army of servants struggled to satisfy even his smallest whim. 

Marzio had had servants waiting on him hand and foot before, but never with such ardour; people had watched him suspiciously, but never for so long. It was getting tedious, and Ignis knew that all too well, for he bore witness to most of the charade. Finally, it seemed that the prince had decided to take matters in his own hands and had arranged for a small holiday. 

The fact was, he had forgotten to mention this to Marzio. 

When they had left Aquiline two weeks before, the general had fully expected to return there four weeks later. Now Commander of Demonis' Second Division of Cavalry, Marzio had thought little when he'd been asked to meet with the Ambassador King Teh-Kai of Angelia had sent to Demonis and provide him with an honour guard from Celios to Aquiline. In fact, he had been more than happy to get away from the palace for a few weeks, even if it meant separation from Ignis. 

He should have known better the moment Owen Alisi-Feit and five other members of the Prince of Demonis' Personal Guard had been ordered to accompany him. He should have noticed that one of them not only rode one of the Demon Prince's horses, but bore an uncanny resemblance to his lover. But Marzio was not really a morning person and had been in somewhat of a half-asleep hurry, so he had let Owen take care of his own men. He'd been just as surprised as the rest of the escort detail when Ignis had popped up in their middle that evening at the inn. But Marzio had not asked his lover why he'd come; he knew the Demon was under more stress than anyone else, and had thought he'd merely wanted the same as Marzio did, a few days of relative peace and quiet with nothing but the occasional rumour of highwaymen to worry about. 

Well, they had met the Ambassador and had gotten back as far as Gheest before Ignis' true purpose for making this trip was revealed. He must have been planning it for quite some time, because at first Captain Alisi-Feit had not been against it in principle. It was only the moment the prince had mentioned not wanting to take any guards that the conversation had turned into a full-scale argument, with Marzio and Roland Bela-Fer - the newly-appointed Ambassador of Angelia and an acquaintance of the two lovers' - as helpless witnesses and victims. For Owen's voice could carry quite well in an amphitheatre, let alone the modest common room of an inn, and by the time the shouting was over both Angelians' ears were ringing. 

Unperturbed, the Prince of Demonis had smiled and did what he did best: in his nicest voice, he had ordered Owen to take charge of the whole party and make sure the Ambassador reached Aquiline safely, while Marzio and he would be taking "a little recreational trip". 

Experience had taught Marzio that Owen Alisi-Feit was very good at taking orders. 

And this was where that argument had brought Marzio: on a mountain path that appeared to be rarely used, with Ignis as his guide. Not that he feared having been followed - the woods they had trekked through to get there would have discouraged even the bravest outlaw from following. Marzio suspected he would be picking leaves and twigs from his hair for the rest of the journey. 

The landscape was breathtaking; quite literally, if one dared look down. Marzio had, and had sworn to himself not to repeat that feat. The river that had created the canyon appeared as a small trickle from that height, and the mountain wall opposite to the one with the road, being less steep, was covered by a thick evergreen forest that bore testimony to how the Black Mountains had gotten their name. Far ahead, light reflected on the eternal snow that covered the highest peaks of the ridge. 

All in all, the setting created a peaceful atmosphere, and the general could understand why a person would want to own a lodge in this place, especially if that person was a member of the Demon Royal Family. Because that was where Marzio believed they were going, a mountain lodge. No other structure would have survived in this place, safe for a few shepherds' huts which they were unlikely to find at this altitude, and the Monastery of Dreak - to which even most Demons were denied access. 

Coming out of his musings Marzio realized he had lost sight of Ignis, and urged his horse forward; though he had been told that there were no forks in the road, it was better to stay close to the one who knew where they were going. 

The next bend in the road reserved him a surprise. The road came to an end in that place, but there was little to be seen there except for a small plateau. 

Marzio stared in dismay at his lover, who had dismounted and was currently studying the overgrowth covering one of the rocky walls with great interest. "Now what?" he asked, getting off his own horse and joining the prince. 

The younger man smiled. "Now you get blindfolded, and we carry on." 

Marzio blinked, then took off the tinted glasses and gave Ignis a hard look. "There is no road," he pointed out. 

The prince's smile widened. "No road, no. But there is a way for those who know where to look." 

It all came down to trust, in the end. And although Marzio trusted Ignis implicitly, he could not help a shiver as he stood there, blindfolded, for what had to be a small eternity, while the prince supposedly "took the horses through". Through what, he honestly did not want to see; when his lover finally returned and took his hand to guide him, he had to be coaxed to move. Thankfully, he didn't think they were going anywhere near the precipice. But what little light that managed to pass through the makeshift blindfold - which was nothing other than Ignis' customary travel scarf - quickly disappeared, and the air grew damp and chilly. A cavern, then, its entry hidden by the overgrowth on the cliff? Although he was willing to bet that he would be unable to find his way through on his own, given the twists and turns Ignis led him through. 

Finally, the light and fresh air were back, but he had to wait a little longer before deft hands gave him back his eyesight. He sighed, gathering his wings and leaning against the tall body behind his own, and opened his eyes slowly, to re-accustom them to the light. 

"Wherever you're taking me, it better be worth it." 

"It is," Ignis breathed against his cheek. "It most definitely is." 

They took a short lunch break before they rode on, and as before there was no mark of any cavern entrance on this side of the mountain. Ignis had promised to explain everything once they reached their destination, however, and Marzio had to admit that this most enigmatic place he was being taken to was gaining a somewhat mystifying aura in the general's thoughts. Thankfully there was a good road to follow, and the terrain allowed the horses to settle in a comfortable run, and he started making up all sorts of images about the place in his mind while his mare was having fun chasing Ignis' stallion. 

He was jarred out of his thoughts by a stream of sunlight hitting his face, and for a moment he thought he'd go blind. But it was merely the sun reflecting on a lake ahead of them, so he put the tinted glasses back on and urged his mount to catch up with Ignis', who was already pulling to a halt. Once he got closer, Marzio could also make out a cabin built on its shores, small but apparently well-kept. Their destination, at last! 

An isolated cabin near a lake was not one of the things he had imagined, but he had to admit it had its appeal. Not to mention the peace and quiet. Safe for the occasional eagle's call and the noises they made, he had yet to hear anything. 

"Quite nice," he told Ignis. "It does not account for a secret passage through a mountain wall, but still..." 

The prince's hand stopped him from dismounting. "Not yet." 

"Oh?" 

Ignis looked flustered all of a sudden. "I know you were hoping for a quiet holiday, but... I thought you'd like this better, despite the hassle." 

Marzio raised an eyebrow. Hassle? In a cabin in the very core of the mountains? 

The prince must have guessed his thoughts - Marzio knew for sure Ignis considered it bad policy to read people's minds unless far greater things were concerned - for he elaborated, "This is not where we're going... although it is part of it." He must have tightened his hold on the reigns, for Onyx Thunder pranced under him almost impatiently. Still, there was a clear shine in the prince's eyes as he turned the horse around and pointed out in the distance. 

It had been impossible to see because of the mountain wall on their right, but now one could see it in its full glory, its fortifications rising from the very rock as if the mountain had given them life. Dark and majestic, the fortress seemed well beyond mortal reach, and Marzio felt a chill down his spine as he recognized it. He had seen it depicted in various manuscripts, had admired its dark towers and fluttering banners in some of Ignis' paintings and sketches. All of those images had made it look far less intimidating - and fascinating - than it was in reality. 

He had never imagined he would get to see it with his own eyes. It was some sort of holy place that all warriors dreamed to, but never quite reached. All except for a select few, gifted by Drako the Warrior God. 

It was a place of legend, where legends were being made. 

It was... the Monastery. 

* * *

**~ On Hold ~**

* * *


End file.
